On Wednesday, the Calcutta High Court directed the West Bengal government to deploy central police forces to maintain peace during Hanuman Jayanti processions on Thursday. The court noted that during clashes over Ram Navami processions in the Hooghly district last week, an additional sessions judge was unable to obtain necessary security for his family.
The Kolkata Police’s list of 27 conditions for groups permitted to hold Hanuman Jayanti processions was reviewed by the bench. The court advised West Bengal that they should “impose even stricter conditions.”
During a hearing on a petition by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari, the bench consisting of acting Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya stated that due to the magnitude of the issue and to prevent any potential breach of peace, the state government should request assistance from paramilitary forces of the central government. The court added that the deployment of paramilitary forces would be beneficial to the state police. Adhikari’s petition called for an investigation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the deployment of central police forces for Hanuman Jayanti in the state.
The high court directed the state to implement a raft of measures for the Hanuman Jayanti processions taking place on Thursday. These include capping the number of participants, setting up barricades, denying permission in areas where prohibitory orders have been issued, and recording the procession on video. The Kolkata Police’s list of 27 Dos and Don’ts for the processions prohibits motorcycle rallies, fireworks, loud music, and weapons such as lathis.
On March 30th, violence broke out in the Howrah district when a Ram Navami procession was allegedly targeted with stones. The violence then escalated and spread to the North Dinajpur and Hooghly districts over the course of the next three days.
According to the information presented to the high court, around 1,000 rallies were conducted across the state on Ram Navami, and approximately 2,000 applications have been received by the police for permission to hold Hanuman Jayanti processions on April 6th. The state’s advocate general, Soumendra Nath Mookherjee, acknowledged that it is uncommon to see such a large number of Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti processions in West Bengal. He further explained that over the last five years, there has been an increase in requests for such events due to external influences.
While the bench acknowledged the influence of external practices, they emphasized the importance of the administration taking appropriate measures once the practice is introduced in the state. The court reiterated that its priority is to maintain peace and prevent any potential breaches.
Ahead of Thursday’s Hanuman Jayanti celebrations, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has instructed the state police to remain vigilant. Banerjee had accused supporters of the BJP of inciting violence during the Ram Navami processions.
When asked about the court order regarding the deployment of central forces for Hanuman Jayanti, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh stated that the party’s leadership will analyze the order. He further commented that the BJP has a history of disregarding police directives and their workers have been seen carrying firearms. Ghosh accused the BJP of intentionally provoking violence and expressed hope that with the deployment of central forces, the BJP would hold peaceful rallies and demonstrate their true intentions.
Dilip Ghosh, the Vice President of the BJP, expressed his appreciation for the high court’s decision to deploy central forces for Hanuman Jayanti. Ghosh alleged that in previous incidents, the police had been ineffective and that they had been beaten and attacked with stones while vehicles were set on fire in front of them. He further criticized Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, claiming that she is blaming the BJP for the violence in order to conceal her own shortcomings. Ghosh also highlighted that the central government is always willing to assist states in maintaining law and order.
Violence erupts during the Ram Navami procession in Howrah
Last month, after West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, advised Hindus to avoid ‘Muslim areas’ during Ram Navami processions, one such procession came under attack in Howrah today. Stones were pelted on the procession from the terraces of the buildings in the Shibpur area of Howrah, the twin city of Kolkata. This led to a clash between two groups, leading to violence and arson.
Vehicles and shops were also torched during the violence. Videos from the place show several vehicles on fire on the road, while many other vehicles were lying overturned. The damaged vehicles include a police vehicle. The neighbourhood where the violence was reported is dominated by Muslims.
